WMBB News 13 - The Panhandle's News LeaderWorld War II Vets Honored

Today a group of 13 World War II veterans receive their first recognition for their service.

When thirteen World War Two vets walk through these doors at Edgewater Beach Resort they'll see this. It's a welcoming committee to set the tone of the event.

With hands over hearts a room full of military service members shows respect.

Thirteen in this crowd of a hundred are service members from World War II. William Demarest is among them. "Being honored...it sort of gives you a chill."

Demarest describes an experience when his boat, anchored near Okinawa in Japan, was attacked by a kamikaze pilot. "We were scared; it was one of them things; I was twenty-three years old; I'm worried about going down cause I'm up above fifty feet; that is a helluva jump."

When asked what it's like looking back Demarest has strong feelings. "Very lucky. Because I survived the whole thing."

and Wednesday he and twelve others are honored for their service.

"When you talk to these individuals you see that a lot of times they've never been recognized for anything." Gene Overstreet, the president of the Non-Commissioned Officers Association says this ceremony is the first recognition many receive for time served sixty years ago. "We didn't want to get into the military's part of giving medals or anything, but we thought it was important to give something to recognize them and make them feel special."

Overstreet says the NCOA has given out thousands of medals over the years. "They went to school and got back in the swing of things and didn't want to talk about what happened. They're very unassuming about what they've done."